Safety rail fastening



Nov. 21, 1950 Y J, R, SNYDER 2,530,547

' SAFETY RAIL ms'mumc Filed June 29, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 :INVENTOR. coa Eu. w 5/v rose Maww Patented Nov. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATNT F F I C E SAFETY RAIL FASTENING Jacob Rush Snyder, Cleveland, Qhio Application June 29, 1945, Serial No. 602,189;

11 Claims.

This. invention relates to. rail fasteni gs f the kind emb dying a resilient clamp or plate for yieldingly holding the rail aga a support and. as one of its objects, a ms, to pro de improved fastening of this character which will hold the rail 0n the support in a safer and more satisfactory manner than the rail fastenings hereto-fore provided.

Ano her object of the, present inventi n i to provide an improved rail fastening of the character mentioned, in which an insert or guard member used in conjunction with the Cla p serves as a safety means i9 1 holding the rail on the support in the event of breaking of the clamp and as a means for limiting the initial flexing of the clamp, and wherein the insert accomplishes these functions without interference with a nor mal flexing of the clamp such as usually takes place during the passage oi trains over the rail.

A further object of the ,nvention is to provide an improved fastening of the character referred to, wherein the insert extends through the open-v ing of the clamp and is engaged by the holding portion or head of the fastener as a spacer or stop for limitin thev initial flexing of the clamp by the fastener.

lhe invention can be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and particularly set out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view, with portions in section, showing a rail fastening embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken through the fastening on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional plan viewshowing the shape of the opening of the tie plate and with the fastener and insert disposed in the opening.

Fig. 4 is a plan view similar to Fig l but showing a modified form of rail fastening embodying the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a partial transverse sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detailed sectional View, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on line 66 of Fig. 4 and further illustrating the lockin feature for preventing accidental loosening of the fastening, and

Fig. '7 is a side elevation showing the guard member of the rail fastenings of Figs. 1 and 2 in detached relation.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in "igs. l and 2 provides a fastening for yieldingly holding a rail H3 against a support which is here shown as being a tie plate H resting on a conventional wooden tie l2. The rail H3 is of a conveniional construction which includes the usual head and web portions we and Nib and a laterally extending base flange it which is seated on the tie plate.

The tie plate ii is here shown as comprising a rectangular metal plate having upstanding railgallging integral shoulders or ribs 54 extending thereacross for cooperation with the edges of the base 13;, although the present invention is equally applicable to rail fastenings in which thes shoulders have been omitted from the tie plate The tie plate. is provided with a pair of diagonally disposed openings i5 which are used in the improved fastening and whieh are of a special shape. Except for the special shape of the diagonally disposed openings 15 the tie plate H is otherwise of'a conventional form having a plurality of substantially square openings 56 therein of a size to accommodate conventional cut spikes. In the particular rail plate here shown the portion i la upon which the base flange E3 of the rail is seated is tapered in thickness so that the rail will be supported in a position slightly inclined from the true vertical.

As shown in Fig. 3, each of the opening if; of the tie plate consists of a substantially rectangular portion 55a which extends through the shoul der- M, and a substantially circular portion i511 which is located laterally outwardly of the portion iii-a and communicates with the latter. A tie plate having the special openings i5 therein can be obtained by taking a tie plate of conventional form having the above mentioned square spike opening it therein, and boring or otherwise forming the opening portions llib in the tie plate adjacent a diagonally disposed pair of the square openings.

In addition to the rail support, which in this instance is formed by the tie plate l i and the tie E2, the fastenin includes the resilient clamp member i8, a fastener l9 and a rail guard or in: sert 29. The clamp member it, which is also re: ferred to herein merely as a clamp, is preferably in the form of a corrugated resilient metal plate having bearing portions 2i and 22 at or adjacent its ends and which bear respectively on the rail flange I3 and the tie plate ii. The intermediate portion of the clamp bridges over the shoulder is of the tie plate and includes an upwardly bowed portion 23 with which the fastener 19 co. operates. The intermediate portion of the clamp is provided with an opening 2d which overlies the opening it? of the tie plate and accommodates the fastener is and also the insert or guard member 23 in a manner which will be further explained hereinafter.

The fastener I 9 is here shown as being a screw spike which serves very well when the fastening being formed includes the wooden tie I2. The screw spike may be of a conventional form having a threaded stem 25 extending into preformed opening or bore 26 of the tie and also having a head 21 providing on the under? side thereof a clamping face or shoulder 28 which engages the upper side of the intermediate portion 2; of the clamp H3. As shown in Fig. 8 pf the drawings the stem of the fastener [9 ex.-

3 tends through the circular portion |b of the tie plate opening IS.

The rail guard or insert 2% is an important element of the improved fastening and is here shown in the form of a headed pin having a stem or body portion 38 of a substantially square cross-section which extends into or through the square portion ita of the tie plate opening it. The insert also has a laterally inwardly extending holding portion or lug 3| which overhangs the rail flange I3 and serves to retain the rail on the tie plate in the event of breaking of the resilient clamp l8. The insert also serves the important function of acting as a spacer or stop for limiting the extent to which the spike I9 is driven into the tie, and hence, the initial flexing of the resilient clamp l8.

In the form of the fastenin illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the upper portion of the insert 20 forms a spacer between the clamping surface 28 of the head of the fastener H! and the upstanding shoulder N3 of the tie plate H. To this end the insert is provided with oppositely extending integral lateral projections or lugs 32 which rest on the top of the shoulder M of the tie plate as shown in the drawings. The side of the insert which is disposed adjacent or against the stem of the spike $9 is of a recessed or concave contour, as indicated at 33, so as to provide a larger bearing surface and a centering cooperation between the insert and the stem of the spike. When the improved fastening embodies a tie plate from which one or both of the shoulders Hi have been omitted the insert 2|] also serves as a rail gauging means by reason of the fact that the body portion of the insert is of a width or thickness to substantially fill the intervening space between the edge of the rail flange l3 and the stem of the spike l9.

It should be explained at this point that the opening 24 of the clamp I8 is preferably in the form of a slot as here shown. In assembling the improved rail fastening the spike |9 is inserted through the overlying openings of the clamp H3 and the tie plate II and is screwed part way into the tie |2. The clamp I8 is then shifted laterally toward the rail and relative to the partially driven spike to the extent permitted by the slot 24. The size and shape of the slot 24 are such that when the clamp is in this inwardly displaced position the insert 28 can be dropped or inserted into the tie plate opening through the slot of the clamp. In thus moving the insert into position between the edge of the rail flange and the stem of the spike, the lower end of the insert enters the square section [5a of the tie plate opening I5 and the projections 32 of the insert engage and rest upon the top of the shoulder M at opposite sides of the tie plate opening.

After the insert 28 has been thus moved into position the clamp I8 is shifted in the opposite or outward direction as far as is permitted by the insert, that is, to the position in which the clamp is shown in Fig. 2. The spike I9 is then driven further into the tie |2 to the fully driven position shown in the drawings. During movement of the spike IE? to its fully driven position, the shoulder 28 of the spike head 21 engages the upper surface of the intermediate portion 23 of the clamp and subjects the clamp to an initial flexing causing the ends thereof to press against the rail flange and tie plate. When the shoulder 28 of the spike engages the upper end of the insert 20 the spike will have been driven 4 to the desired extent and a further or excessive initial flexing of the clamp will be prevented.

It should be understood that instead of following the above-described procedure, the fastenin can be assembled by first placing the clamp l8 and insert 20 in position on the tie plate H and then screwing the spike into the tie l2 the distance permitted by the insert. When the rail is to be removed it is only necessary to unscrew the spike part-way, remove the insert 28 and then swing the clamp on the spike through approximately to thereby disengage the clamp from the rail flange.

It is important to note in connection with this improved fastening that the upper portion of the insert 23 extends through the opening 2d of the clamp so that the insert can be engaged by the shoulder 28 of the spike. The size and shape of the opening 24 are such as to accommodate the upper portion of the insert for this purpose and such that a subsequent relatively free flexing of the clamp can take place without interference with any portion of the insert. In its fully assembled position of the clamp It the inner end 24a of the clamp opening engages the inner end of the overhanging lug 3| of the insert and this prevents unintentional shifting of the clamp in an outward direction during the subsequent use of the fastening. The lug 3| and the projections 32 of the insert also cooperate with the edges of the clamp opening 24 for preventing unintentional swinging of the clamp |8 about the stem of the spike IS.

The rail fastening illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings is similar to the fastening de scribed above in detail in connection with Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive but in the modified fastenin the projections 32 have been omitted from the insert or rail guard 35. In this case the lower end of the insert seats upon the wooden tie 36 instead of on the tie plate H but in other respects the insert 35 is similar to the insert 28 and accomplishes the same functions as in the fastening previously described herein. The insert 35 will of course be of a length such that it will limit the driving of the spike |9 into the tie 36 when the clamp 31 has been flexed to the desired extent. When the projections 32 are omitted the clamp opening 38 can be of the shape shown in Fig. 4, that is to say, it can have a square portion 3811. through which the insert 35 extends and a rounded slot portion 38b for the spike Hi.

In rail fastenings of the kind herein disclosed it is desirable to prevent loosening of the spike i9 and in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 I have shown a looking or holding means for this purpose. This locking means comprises upstanding tooth-like elements 40 formed on the upper surface of the intermediate portion of the clamp 31 and which engage the underside or clamping surface 28 of the head of the spike. The metal of the clamp 31 is usually hardened in obtaining the desired resilient characteristic of the clamp and the projections 60, which are suitably formed as an integral part of the clamp, are therefore harder than the metal of the spike i9.

' When the resilient clamp 31 has been flexed by the spike l9 the clamp will react to press or ill-- dent the projections 40 into the shoulder 28 of the spike. This indenting of the projections 49 into the spike may be accomplished only partially during the forming or assembling of the fastening but the subsequent flexing of the clamp, during passing of trains over the rail, will result in the projections beingindented for substantially their full height into the spike. When the projections 46 have been thus indented into the clamping surface 28, of the spike they will effectively hold the spike against turning in a direction to permit loosening of the fastening.

As shown in Fig. 4, the projections 59 are located on opposite sides of the opening 38 of the clamp and preferably on a line which is substantially coincident with a diameter of the stem of the spike l9. It should be understood that the projections fill can also be embodied in the rail fastening illustrated herein in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive.

It has been mentionedabove that the openings of the tie plate ii are disposed in a diagonal relation. An. advantage is obtained for this relative position for these openings because after a fastening has been in use for a considerable period of time the portions of the tie into which the screw spikes l9 extend may become weakened and by substituting a tie plate having these openings located on the opposite diagonal, the openings will overlie sound and unused portions of the tie.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings it will now be readily understood that the present invention provides an imroved rail fastening of the kind embodying a resilient clamp and which fastening is rendered safer and more satisfactory by the use of a novel insert or rail guard therein.

Although my improved rail fastenings have been illustrated and described herein in considerable detail it should be understood that the invention is not to be regarded as being correspondingly limited in scope since it is intended to include all changes and modifications coming within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a rail fastening of the type embodying resilient plate overlapping a flange of the rail and an adjustable fastener extending through an opening of the plate, and having a head or the like engaging the top of said plate, a rail guard comprising a spacer for limiting the flexing of said plate by the fastener, said rail guard extending through the opening of the plate so as to be clampingly engaged directly by the head of the fastener and having a holding portion overlying said rail flange, said opening of the plate permitting flexing of said plate without interference by said rail guard.

2. In a rail fastening, a support, a rail on said support and having a base flange, a resilient railhoiding clamp member having portions bearing upon said support and flange and also having an opening therein between said portions, a driven fastener extending through said opening for connecting the clamp member with said support and holding the clamp member in a flexed condition, said fastener being adjustable relative to said support for varying the extent to which said clamp member is initially flexed by the fastener, and a second member cooperating with said fastener during the driving thereof for limiting the initial flexing of the clamp member by the fastener and having a rail-retaining portion extending over said flange, said second member having a portion thereof extending into the opening of said clamp member and said opening being of a size and shape to permit flexing Of the clamp member without interference with said second member.

3. In a rail fastening, a wood tie, a tie plate on said tie and having an opening therein, a rail on said tie plate and having a base flange, a resilient rail-holding clamp member having its ends bearing respectively on said tie plate and flange and also having an opening therein between said ends and overlying the opening of the tie plate, a screw spike extending through said openings into the tie and having a head engaging the upper side of the clamp member for holding the latter in a flexed condition against said tie plate and flange, and a second member disposed in the opening of the tie plate and engaged by the underside of said head for limiting the initial flexing of said clamp member by said spike and having a rail-retaining portion extending over said flange, said second member having a portion thereof extending through the opening of said clamp member for said engagement with said head andv the opening of said clamp member being of a size and shape to permit flexing of the clamp member Without interference with said second member.

4. In a rail fastening, a tie plate, a rail on said tie plate and having a base flange, said tie plate having a shoulder thereon adapted to be engaged by said flange and an opening extending through said shoulder, a clamp member comprising a resilient plate extending over said shoulder and having its ends bearing respectively on said tie plate and flange, said clamp member having an opening therein overlying the opening of said tie plate, a fastener extending through said openings and having a holding portion in engagement with the clamp member and holding the latter in a flexed condition, and a second member disposed in the opening of said tie plate and having a rail-retaining portion overhanging said flange and a spacer portion adapted to be clamped between said shoulder and said holding portion of the fastener for limiting the initial flexing of the clamp member by said fastener, said spacer portion of said second member extending through the opening of said clamp member and being engaged by said holding portion and said opening of the clamp member being of a size and shape to permit flexing of the clamp member without interference with said second member.

5. A rail fastening as defined in claim 4 in which the opening of the clamp member is a slot of a length to permit shifting of the clamp member laterally toward the rail and relative to the fastener when the latter is in a partially driven position and wherein said second member is insertible into said slot and the opening of the tie plate when said clamp member is in such laterally shifted position.

6. In a rail fastening, a wood tie, a tie plate on said tie and having an opening therein, a rail on said tie plate and having a base flange, a resilient rail-holding clamp member having its ends bearing respectively on said tie plate and flange and also having an opening therein between said ends and overlying the opening of the tie plate, said opening of the tie plate including a substantially square portion and a round portion communicating therewith, a screw spike extending into the tie through the opening of the clamp member and through the round portion of the tie plate opening, said spike having a head engaging the upper side of the clamp member for holding the latter in a flexed condition against said tie plate and flange, and a rail guard having a substantially square stem engaging in said square portion of the tie plate opening and a spacer portion extending upwardly through the opening of said clamp member and engaged by the head of the spike for limiting the initial flexing of the clamp member by the spike, said rail guard also having a holding portion overhanging said flange and said opening of the clamp member being of a size to permit free flexing of the clamp member without interference with said guard.

7. In a rail fastening, a wood tie, a, tie plate on said tie and having an opening therein, a rail on said tie plate and having a base flange, a resilient rail-holding clamp member having its ends bearing respectively on said tie plate and flange and also having an opening therein between said ends and overlying the opening of the tie plate, said opening of the tie plate including a substantially square portion and a round portion communicating therewith, a screw spike extending into the tie through the opening of the clamp member and through the round portion of the tie plate opening, said spike having a head engaging the upper side of the clamp member for holding the latter in a flexed condition against said tie plate and flange, a rail guard having a substantially square stem engaging in said square portion of the tie plate opening and a spacer portion extending upwardly through the opening of said clamp member and engaged by the head of the spike for limiting the initial flexing of the clamp member by the spike, said opening of the clamp member being of a size to permit free flexing of the clamp member without interference with said guard and being elongated so as to extend over the rail flange, and a lateral rail-holding projection on said guard and disposed in the opening of said clamp member in overhanging relation to said flange.

8. In a rail fastening, a wood tie, a tie plate on said tie and having an opening therein, a rail on said tie plate and having a base flange, a resilient rail-holding clamp member having its ends bearing respectively on said tie plate and flange and also having an opening therein between said ends and overlying the opening of the tie plate, said opening of the tie plate including a substantially square portion and a round portion communicating therewith, a screw spike extending into the tie through the opening of the clamp member and through the round portion of the tie plate opening, said spike having a head engaging the upper side of the clamp member for holding the latter in a flexed condition against said tie plate and flange, a rail guard having a substantially square stem engaging in said square portion of the tie plate opening and a spacer portion extending upwardly through the opening of said clamp member and engaged by the head of the spike for limiting the initial flexing of the clamp member by the spike, said opening of the clamp member being of a size to permit free flexing of the clamp member without interference with said guard and being elongated so as to extend over the rail flange, and a lateral rail-holding projection on said guard and disposed in the opening of said clamp member in overhanging relation to said flange, said spacer portion having shoulder means thereon engaging the tie plate and the inner end of said railholding projection being engaged by the inner end of said opening of the clamp member.

9. In a rail fastening, a wood tie, a tie plate on said tie and having an opening therein, a rail on said tie plate and having a base flange, a resilient rail-holding clamp member having its ends bearing respectively on said tie plate and flange and also having an opening therein be tween said ends and overlying the opening of the tie plate, said openings of the tie plate and clamp member each including a quadrangular portion and a rounded portion communicating therewith, a screw spike extending into the tie through the rounded portions of said openings and having a head engaging the upper side of the clamp member for holding the latter in a flexed condition against said tie plate and flange, a rail guard having a quadrangular portion disposed in the quadrangular portions of said openings and being engaged by the head of said spike for limiting the initial flexing of the clamp member by the spike, said opening of the clamp member being elongated to extend over the rail flange, and a rail-holding projection on said guard and disposed in the opening of said clamp member in overhanging relation to said flange, said opening of the clamp member being of a size and shape to permit flexing of said clamp member without interference by said guard.

10. In a rail fastening, a resilient clamp member having one end resting upon a rail flange and its opposite end bearing upon a tie plate and having an opening therein intermediate said ends, a fastening member and rail guard pin each extending through the clamp member and tie plate, the rail guard pin being clamped against the tie plate by the fastening member for limiting the vertical movement of the fastening member in one direction and said rail guard pin having means thereon for limiting movement of the rail in the opposite direction, the opening of said clamp member permitting flexing of the clamp member relative to said rail guard pin.

11. In a rail fastening, a resilient clamp member having one end resting upon a rail flange and its opposite end bearing upon a tie plate and having an opening therein intermediate said ends, a fastening member extending through the clamp member and tie plate and a rail guard pin directly engaged by and underlying the head of the fastening member and extending through the clamp member and into the tie plate, one side of said rail guard pin being headed to overlie the rail flange for limiting the vertical movement of the rail in one direction and said rail guard pin having shoulder means thereon engageable with r said tie plate for limiting the vertical movement of the fastening member in the opposite direction, the opening of said c'amp member permitting flexing of the clamp member relative to said rail guard pin.

JACOB RUSH SNYDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,020,096 Holden Mar. 12, 1912 2,008,946 Cooper July 23, 1935 2,057,963 Maney Oct. 20, 1936 2,286,755 Morton et al June 16, 1942 2,311,299 Olson Feb. 16, 1943 2,324,135 Chidester et a1. July 13, 1943 2,357,498 Boyce et al. Sept. 5, 1944 2,394,373 Gibbs Feb. 5, 1946 

